CT 

2 7SL 

H2&3 



*'rt^ri% x ?$sam 




ft>3 



PRICE, TEN CENTS, 



A SKETCH OF 



John F. Hagen 



HERO 



OF THE 




Schuylkill Tragedy 



AND 



Rescuer of Eight Lives 



By MRS. VIRGINIA BARNHURST. 



PH I J, A DELPHI A: 

1884. 



Entered according to the Act of Congress, in the year 1S84. by Mrs. Virginia Barnhurst, in the Office of the Librarian 

of Congrc^-., at Washington, D. C. 





RICHARDSON. 


• 

REBECCA N1CHLE, 


HATTER, • 


22ig Fair-mount Avenue, 


2030 and 2032 CALLOWHILL STREET, 


PHILADELPHIA. 


1 

PHILADELPHIA. 


Dry Goods, Trimmings and 


g^p**" Latest styles and lowest prices. 


Millinery Goods. 


j HUGHMcCRYSTAL, 

Dealer in 


WANTED, 

Ladies to learn " London Tailor" System of 
French Dresscutting. 


LEHIGH AND SCHUYLKILL COAL, 


PERSONAL INSTRUCTION BY 

A. R. ELLIS, • 


2S09 Spring Garden St., 


Inventor and Proprietor, 


PHILADELPHIA. 

Orders received, ()80 N, 34th Street. 


24 N. 10th St. Day or Evening. 

Only office for sale and instruc ion of " London Tailor" 
System in Phila. Agents wanted on liberal terms. 


John L. Curry, 


J. N. WOOLMAN, 


PHARMACIST, 


Dealer in Chester and Montgomery County 


J^O. 2 140 pALLOWHILL ^T. , ' 


3&02 Story Street, 


PHILADELPHIA. 


"West Philadelphia. 


E. McBRERTY&BRO., 


EDWARD MCLAUGHLIN, 

24th and Hamilton Streets, 


Grocers & Flour Dealers, 


DEALER IN 

Pure Rye, Wheat and Bourbon 


611 & 613 NORTH 25th STREET, 


WHISKIES, 


S. W. Cor. 24th and Spring Garden Streets, 


Retailed at Wholesale Prices. 


PHILADELPHIA. 


Branch house, N. W. cor. Westmoreland and 
Richmond Streets, Philadelphia. 


MRS. BERRY, 


Charles Eble, 


Trimmings and Notions, 


BARBER, 


CHINA VASES, 

TOILET CHAMBER, 


531 N. 24th St., Philadelphia. 


AND 

MAJOLICA SE'IS. 


HAIR-CUTTING AND SHAVING 


No. 1830 Callowhill St., Philadelphia. 


Done in the most approved Style. 

i 



A SKETCH OF 



John F. Hagen 



HERO 



OF THE 




Schuylkill Tragedy 



ANi') 



Rescuer of Eight Lives 



By MRS. VIRGINIA BARNHURST. 

ii 



PH ILADELPH I A 

1884. 



MAR 24 1884 



A SKETCH OK 

JOHN F. HAGEN. 



John Francis Hagen, the subject of this little book, is no doubt 
already well known to many of its readers. Some, who will read 
it, have known him up through his childhood, while, as a poor 
unimportant boy he earned a meagre livelihood upon the banks of 
the Schuylkill River, and there are those, who have only known 
this young man, who has so suddenly been brought into public 
notice, from that time, when on the third day of February, 1884, he 
became the hero of this same Schuylkill River, by risking his own 
life to save the lives of others. 

Everybody does not possess courage and presence of mind in 
moments of sudden danger. When a person who does possess 
these qualities exercises them in the saving of human life, he is 
sure to call forth for himself the admiration, esteem and sympathy 
of the eye witnesses of such a scene as that which occurred upon 
that winter Sunday upon the ice-covered Schuylkill — a scene which 
so thrilled the hearts of the lookers-on, and which has for the last 
two or three weeks made so conspicuous the poor, obscure youth, 
and rendered him a hero — the subject of fireside conversation and 
praise, — of newspaper articles innumerable, and the recipient of 
favors of a more practical and tangible character. 

Our Hero is American born but of Old Country parentage, and 
much credit is he, to the race and blood from which he springs ; 
proving as he has done, that he has in his character a large amount 
of that Irish pluck and grit, which at the present time is giving 
John Bull so much trouble, by everlastingly shaking the Shamrock 
of St. Patrick into the face of the British Lion. That Irish pluck 
and grit which holds such undying faith in an Ireland free, — in a 
grand future for the land of Emmett, of O'Connell, of Parnell, of 
the Emerald Isle. 



Hagen was born at the southwest corner of Twenty-fourth and 
Green Streets, at Old Fairmount, known as a part of the old dis- 
trict of Spring Garden and now called the Fifteenth Ward. He 
will be twenty-three years old the third day of the coming August, 
is of dark complexion, and in stature, rather under the medium 
height. He is quite light in build, and evidently possesses more 
of nervous than of muscular strength, that kind of strength which 
in the absence of all thought of self, in moments where it is suddenly 
called upon in great danger, is often more reliable and effectual than 
the mere brawny muscle of the pugilist. 

The young man, in his own words, frankly owns to having been 
a "wild boy." Having lost his parents when very young, and 
having been obliged to pretty much shift for himself, he seems to 
have taken to that kind of Arab life, which however disastrous it 
may prove to all school or book culture, after all, certainly supplies 
in itself a useful compensation in the self-reliance and independence 
of character which it is sure to develop. He acknowledges that as 
a boy he had some opportunities offered him for going to school, 
but that he did not then feel the need of an education as he should 
have done, and as he does now. His love and habits of outside 
life made the inside of the school-room irksome to him ; and he is 
very candid in saying that when sent to school, he was much given 
to that common weakness of boys, that of playing " hooky/' Yet, 
whatever may have been the faults of the boy, he has always been 
known as honest, and ever willing to turn a hand to earn a penny. 
Honesty and the will to do are good qualities, upon which to form 
a foundation for the character and life of an individual. The boy 
in emerging into the youth gradually became more settled in his 
habits, and for some time back he has been steadily endeavoring to 
make his way as man, with the same industry, honesty and effort 
that he has done as boy. Since the establishment of the Fairmount 
Bath Houses, he has been employed in them, in the responsible 
position of charge of the clothes closets. During the winter he 
would take up with such desultory occupation as might present it- 
self, and such as falls to the lot of those, who, while they have no 
regular vocation by which to make a living, must nevertheless live. 
In fact, as boy, youth, or man, he has never been accused of idle- 
ness, and besides, he has given evidence of thrift, and is moreover 



5 

inclined to be provident, as he has followed the rule of in the sum- 
mer months, laying up enough to ensure the paying of his board 
through the winter term, when the chances were against his having 
steady employment. He is known to be thoroughly temperate in 
his habits, even to abstemiousness, indulging in the use neither of 
tobacco nor any kind of intoxicating stimulants. He is strictly 
attentive to his religious duties, and is a firm believer in the faith of 
his forefathers. That he has been brave and plucky from his boy- 
hood up, in making an honest living, those can testify who have 
always known him ; that now in early manhood, he has shown him- 
self unselfish and reliable in moments of great peril, where the ex- 
ercise of these qualities are needed, can be proved, in the words of 
the hundreds, who were present at the occurrence of the event that 
makes him the subject of the little sketch which we present to the 
notice of the reader. 



A BEAUTIFUL SUNDAY. 

The Sunday of February 3d, was an unusually fine day for 
the season. It was one of those bright days dealt out so very 
sparingly by the Weather Clerk during the winter term — one of 
those days so sure of being appreciated more especially if it hap- 
pens to be a Sunday — that day of all the week, which to the masses 
of the people is the only day for outside life and healthy recrea- 
tion. This Sunday, was one of those Sundays, which are so 
anxiously prognosticated the night before, in the moon-lit or 
starry sky, and which, when it makes its appearance in a flood of 
sunlight, accompanied by a very considerate upward tendency of 
the mercury, is hailed as a godsend. 

The Schuylkill River, which is always beautiful, looked beauti- 
ful indeed, as it lay peacefully in the sunshine in its thick covering 
of ice. From bridge to bridge — the Girard and Callowhill, with 
the exception of the immediate neighborhood of the dam, all day 
long, the throng of pedestrians coursed up and down, across and 
back, with as much confidence as if this impromptu promenade^ 
gotten up by Old King Winter, were as reliably safe as the Ham- 
ilton Street Telford pavement. 



The peanut venders did a thrifty business that might have 
thrown into shade the whole week's receipts. 'Skaters pirouetted 
on their skates, here and there in every direction. Lovers in 
pairs, oblivious of all else but themselves, in true lover-style, with 
heads bobbed together, whispered sweet things to each other. 
The lonely old bachelor smoked his cigar ; staid married folks with 
their families, walked in dignified silence and uninterrupted, ex- 
cept, when, in steering too near some inviting looking peanut es- 
tablishment , "papa" was reminded by the junior members of the 
party that the invigorating air was particularly given to working 
up an appetite for peanuts and candy. The whole river, in fact, 
looked as though a gala day had broken loose upon it. The sun- 
shine streamed down so ardently that cloaks and overcoats be- 
came at a discount. 

It is said that treachery is sure to assume a smooth and inno- 
cent face. As fair and reliable as the Schuylkill looked, we did not 
feel so confident as did some others. Under the Girard Ave. Bridge 
the ice had lost its credit, and alarm flags warned the pedestrians 
that" thus far and no farther " should they go, was the life-saving 
law at that point. Some dozen yards from this guarded weakness, 
we heard a sharp cracking of the ice, and as we had two or three 
sleds of human freight in trust, we concluded that terra firma was 
a much to be preferred place. A repetition of the ominous warning 
settled our conclusions, and with a feeling of genuine relief, we 
found ourselves on land once more. Numbers had thinned off 
on the river, and groups still loitered along the shore. Suddenly 
upon the scene, fell a kind of a reacting or counter movement, 
then, a rush as of a panic, and in less time than it takes to tell it, 
the river was cleared, and the crowd surged down the shore toward 
the Callowhill Street Bridge, from which direction, the cries of dis- 
tress told that an accident had occurred. Both decks of the 
bridge and the shores were lined with people, while beneath it, on 
the river, a scene fell on the eye which it would be difficult for 
those who saw it to forget. The ice had broken in for about 
the space of twelve feet, and in this watery grave a mass of 
human beings were struggling for life. The centre figure of the 
scene, was that of a man, who, with supernatural efforts, first with 
one hand and then with the other, to the right and to the left, threw 



one after the other, this human mass, up on to the ice. The man, to 
the eye, seemed to literally stand upon the treacherous waves 
beneath him. The crowd shouted and cheered — the excitement 
growing- greater and greater as one after another the drowning 
boys were brought by the effort of that single man up out from the 
yawning death-trap. It seems, that before the accident, an im- 
mense sled had been the point of attention, to the pleasure-seekers 
who happened in that direction. This sled, had been going back- 
wards and forwards, from shore to shore, laden with a cargo of 
boys of from eight to twelve years of age. On this last trip, it had 
unluckily broken through, in a part of the ice, which had become 
rotten, and the back part of it, had gone down, submerging its 
human freight, with the exception of those, who were clinging on 
at the sides, and who had gotten off, with only a slight wetting, and 
a good fright. Hagen, the conductor of the sled, was at the back 
of it and went down with it. As the sled was drawn out, he rose 
to the surface, with a boy gripping him around the neck, and one 
clutching him at each arm. As Hagen himself, gives it, the boy, 
John Daily, had his arm so tightly clasped around his, Hagen's 
throat, that the latter was losing consciousness, just as Mr. Charles 
Eble, of 53 [ Xorth Twenty-fourth Street, pulling the child from 
his neck and releasing him from the hold of the other two boys, 
helped Hagen himself out on to the ice. We must give a few words 
here to the credit of this gentleman. Mr. Eble is a barber at the 
number just mentioned; is in delicate health, and is not a swim- 
mer. On this day, being so near the accident, he risked his own 
life by keeping to his post, on a cake of the cracked, and separating 
ice on the edge of the aperture, and besides saving a small boy, 
who came up, near the edge on which he stood, rendered timely aid 
to those thrown up by Hagen on the ice. 

As soon as Hagen had, in reaching the ice, become fully con- 
scious of the situation, he had sprang into the death hole, among 
the helpless children, and had began the work of saving them as we 
have already described it. Three times, he made the plunge, the 
last time, at the sight of a hat pointed out to him, and which he 
secured, and which was afterwards found to be the one belonging 
to a missing boy named James Donalan. 



THE DROWNED BOY. 

The hat taken by Hagen from the water, was retained by him for 
identification. It had been pretty generally concluded, that all 
who had gone down on the ill-fated sled, had been saved. So it 
was not considered expedient to make any search for the owner, as 
it seemed quite probable that one of the saved boys, in his haste, 
had scampered off home, and left his hat behind ; too glad to get 
away to think of much else. Some time after the accident, a man 
coming up, recognized the hat as that of his son James, a boy 
between ten and eleven years old. Mr. Donalan, the father, 
stated, that the boy had gone out during the afternoon, and that as 
it grew late, and the child did not return, he had become uneasy 
about him, and that in the meanwhile, hearing of the accident, he 
had hastened to the spot where it had occurred, with the worst 
fears of what the result of the search might be. The truth of the 
matter was but too evident, to the poor father, and to those present. 
The Schuylkill Harbor Police Boat, the Samuel G. King, coming 
up at the time, after some little delay, under the orders of Mr. 
William Francis, the lieutenant, the work of breaking the ice and 
grappling for the body was begun, although continued for some 
time without success. 

It seemed very probable that the unfortunate boy had been 
swept under the ice and drowned. The search was kept up until 
after eleven o'clock the same night, without success. At about 
1 1.30, the body was taken, some forty feet from the spot where the 
accident had occurred. With very little doubt, it had been one of 
the first to slip from the sled, while the latter was going down, and 
probably had gotten under the sled, and instead of rising, when the 
sled was pulled out, had floated off under the ice. The chances 
being, that the child was suffocated too soon, to either suffer, or to 
be conscious of what had happened to him. The father, who had 
remained all during the search, accompanied the body home, where 
on the following morning, an inquest was held by Deputy Coroner 
Ashbridge. 



9 

THE FUNERAL 

Of the drowned boy, took place, Wednesday, February 6th, at two 
o'clock, from the residence of his parents, No. 2340 Callowhill 
Street. Services were held at St. Francis Church, Twenty-fifth, 
above Hamilton Street, the Angel Sodality a Sunday School 
Society attending in a body. The interment took place in Old 
Cathedral Cemetery. 



THE SAVED BOYS. 

In regard to the number of boys saved by Hagen from a watery 
grave, there have been some conflicting statements. It seems, that 
some of them as soon as they found themselves safely out of the 
water, fully recognized that home was about the best place for 
them, and without ceremony, made for that direction. The prompt 
action of Hagen, left them so little time in the water, that they 
were fully capable of helping themselves, and were not either 
stunned or helpless, as they might have been, if they had been 
obliged to wait for help from those around, who were so good and 
brave, at looking on. As to Hagen himself, he says, that he took 
no count of how many he was saving. He had bat the one 
thought, and that was to save. The crowd was too much excited, 
to indulge in examples in addition, but as a looker on, we are sure 
that no less, than eight lives, were saved, and perhaps, more might 
be added to the list. As the credit of eight in all, saved by his 
hand has been awarded to him, we give that as the number here. 
We did not, of course, know the boys, as we saw them, one after 
another, brought up out of the water, but we give the names here 
as we got them from, what we take our chances, as being reliable: 
Charles Shields, No. 2301 Callowhill Street; James Grant, Callow- 
hill, above Twenty-third ; William Smith, Twenty-sixth and Cal- 
lowhill ; James Clarke, James Delaney, Eleventh and Federal 
Streets ; Joseph Carr, Callowhill, above Twenty-third ; David 
Revels, Callowhill Street. Besides these, we were given the names 
of Joseph Henry and Charles Thomas, of Brown Street. All of the 
boys are under twelve years of age, and there seems to be very 
little room for doubting, that the number of the saved boys amounts 
to from twelve to fifteen. 



IO 

THE DONALANS 

Are a very respectable and well-known family in the locality in 
which they live. The father of the unfortunate boy, Mr. James 
Donalan, is a boss carder in Wood's mill, Twenty-second and 
Spring Garden. The family consisted of eight children, six girls 
and two boys, the elder of the two, being the one drowned. The 
parents do not appear in any way to reflect upon Hagen, as at all 
to blame for their sad loss, or to hold him in the least responsible 
for it. The mother says, that she knows that he would have saved 
her boy had he been able to do so, and that he saved the lives ot 
other boys, whose lives were as dear to their mothers, as was the 
life of her boy dear to her. She gave us quite an interesting little 
account, of how he came to go to the river that unlucky day. In 
the morning, she had told him that it being so warm, the ice might 
break, and that he must not go on it. He rather argued the case 
with her, saying, that there would be fun, and he wanted to go. He 
had been to Sunday-school, and about three o'clock, he came in, 
and again, she told him that he must not go. To show how 
people go to their fate, he went out, and a neighbor afterwards told 
the mother, that the little fellow, stood before his own door, evi- 
dently undecided, whether to go or not. A party of small boys 
stood on the corner, as it seemed, waiting for him. Seeing these, 
he yielded to the temptation, and joining them, the whole party 
disappeared. He was seen after that about four o'clock, and had 
probably not yet been on the sled at that time. 

The sensible manner in which the parents look upon the matter, 
in throwing the blame nowhere, but in considering it as something 
that was to be, is very different from the unjust way that some have 
in treating matters in life. For example, we have been told that 
the father of one of the boys, when his son made his appearance 
at home, dripping wet, and shivering, gave him a right sound flog- 
ging, and moreover told him, that he would do the same by John 
Hagen, if he could only lay his hands on him. We cannot vouch 
for the truth of this story, and we do hope that it is false. Any 
parent who could receive a child, who had just been rescued from 
a terrible death, in such a brutal manner, no matter what the fault, 
and where it had been, is unworthy of the commonest respect. 



1 1 

One would judge that in the thought that the life of his child had 
been saved, there could have been no room in his heart for blaming 
any one or anything. It is very strange of what different material 
the moral natures of people are made. 

There does seem to be those who show themselves inclined to 
deny to Hagen any praise in this matter. He having had the sled, 
he by them is evidently looked upon as having been the indirect 
cause of the accident. We ourselves came in contact with one of 
this stripe. While gathering up information upon the subject, we 
asked a father if his son was among those saved by Hagen. He 
gruffly replied : " Humph! He pulled him out." Now we did 
not stop to ask this loving father what he expected Hagen to do 
under the circumstances; nor could we understand, whether he 
meant to find fault with the young man's manner of saving drown- 
ing boys, or whether he was grumbling with him because he did 
not let his boy drown. One thing certain, Hagen did not stop to 
put on gloves, and as to the manner of going about the business, 
he didn't "pull them out;" he simply, unceremoniously threw them 
out — not even by retail, but by the wholesale. The one thing we 
regret is, that instead of this man's boy, Hagen had not saved 
poor little Jimmy Donalan, whose parents, even over their boy in 
his coffin, had not one word of blame against Hagen. Then the 
kind father might have had some cause for grumbling. 



THE SLED 

which made such a feature in the accident, and which takes an im- 
portant place as one of the principal factors in it, was of such 
unusual dimensions as to be one of the most conspicuous objects 
on the ice. Being so much in size above the other sleds, and in 
appearance, so different from the small fry around, it took a gigantic 
place in the eyes of those watching that winter's day ice carnival. 
And when it slipped over the glassy surface, freighted to completion 
with its wild, rosy, boyish troop, shouting and laughing, in such an 
abandon of joy and merriment, as only childhood is capable of, no 
wonder, that the scene so suddenly changed by the deceitful ice. 
should have turned everything, into a pell-mell of terror and alarm, 
and one which no pen could find v/ords to describe. 



J 



12 



Perhaps, here, Hagen's own story, as he told it to us, might be of 
some interest to the reader, although it may repeat some of the 
matter already given. 



HAGEN'S STORY. 

" It being winter,! had a good deal of time on hand, so, as there 
was so much snow, I took the notion to make a good sled. I 
intended it more particularly, for the benefit of the little daughter 
of Mrs. Moane. I boarded with Mrs. Moane, and I knew that 
Mamie and her little friends, liked very much to sled. I took a 
fancy to make a real large sled, one that would hold several chil- 
dren at a time. The sled was not entirely my own. Mrs. Moane 
found the rope, which cost twenty cents, and the runners which cost 
twenty-five cents. It was made of an old door fastened to a 
pair of barrel skids, the runners being six inches high and four 
inches thick. It was pushed by a big hook and there was a rope 
to pull it. I used to haul it up and down the river, six or eight at 
a time sometimes on the sled. I would go under the bridge often 
as far as the drove yard. I would push it mostly by the hook. 
Sunday morning, I think it was about nine o'clock when I first 
started out with it. I did not have but two or three boys on at this 
time, but I promised that I would take little Mamie and her friends 
in the afternoon, but I did not go to the place where I told them I 
would, meet them because I had heard that the ice was weak there. 
During the afternoon I found that under the bridge, on the north 
side, was a good place on the ice that the sun did not strike. By 
this time, there were a great many boys on the river, and they all 
wanted to get on the sled. I piled on to it, as many as it would 
hold, and pushed them over to the other side. After a while, so 
many wanted to get on, that I was obliged to divide them up, and 
let each lot take its turn. The way I did, I would take so many 
over, then, they would get off, and let the lot waiting there, get on, 
and those who got ofif, would take hold of the rope, while I pushed 
with the hook. It was getting late in the afternoon, I had been 
pushing nearly all day, and I felt real tired. I told the boys that I 
wanted to go home and that I would not cross again. They 
begged so hard for another ride that I told them I would give 



13 

them one more, but that would be the last. I loaded for the 
last time, then I got on myself, on the back of the sled, 
and on the west side. When we got about forty feet from 
the shore, the ice began to crack, and into the water we 
all went. I was at the right side of the sled, and near Daily, who 
called out " Sar " (the boys called me " Sardine"), and with that he 
clasped his arms so tightly around my neck, that I became un- 
conscious, and we both would have been drowned had not Mr. 
Eble, who was standing on the edge of the ice, pulled Daily from 
my neck. I can hardly tell how I got out, but they say that 
Charley Eble, after taking Daily off my neck, and the two boys 
that had hold of my arms, had been pulled off by him, pulled me 
out. I know that as soon as I was on the ice. I saw just how it was. 
I jumped in and caught the boys as fast as I could and threw them 
up on the ice. I was too excited I think to notice much. I only 
wanted to save them all. I know Eble said to me there's the head 
of a boy, and I pushed aside a cake of ice, but it was only a hat. 
I swam about some time, but not finding anything more I thought 
that all were saved. So did the rest. If I had known that Jimmy 
Donalan was under the ice, I would have gone under to find him. 
I got out and took my sled and went home, but I could not rest. 
So I went down to the river again ; but I was shivering with cold 
and did not remain, and I went home and went to bed. If I could 
only have saved the poor boy. I am so sorry I could not, but I 
did the best I could. 

CHANGING THE DESTINY. 

A writer remarks, that the turning around the corner down one 
street instead of another, may change a person's whole destiny in 
life. True it is, that a very simple thing may change the fate of a 
man or woman. It was a homely affair, that clumsy sled, wrought 
out of an old door and pair of barrel skids, but it turned out to 
be a stepping stone to another life, for the poor youth, whose lines 
had indeed been '' laid in hard places." 

So much honor, praise, and attention, as have been bestowed 
upon him, since that thrilling and exciting event, has brought him 
so suddenly into notice, might turn many an older and wiser head. 
But so far Hagen, has acquitted himself modestly and bears his 



U 

honors in a manner to do him credit. He says that he intends to 
do his best, to show his appreciation of the opportunities which 
have been given him, for paving his way to success in life. From 
what we have seen, we have no doubt but he will prove himself in 
every way, worthy of all the reward awarded to him. 



THE AGREEMENT. 

An agreement was entered into February 14th, by which John 
F. Hagen is to be placed in the Glenwood Institute. Hagan being 
of age, signed the articles himself, the other parties thereto being 
Lincoln H. Passmore, George W. Johnson, and Louis N. Mergar- 
gee. The agreement recited the fact, that in recognition of 
Hagan's conduct in saving eight children from drowning, certain 
contributions have been made to the three parties of the second 
part, who reserved the right to use the money so contributed, for 
his education. It also provides that Hagen shall have the privi- 
lege of disposing of any balance of the sum, by will, as he may see 
fit. The entire contribution is said to amount to over $900. 



A GOLD MEDAL FOR BRAVERY. 

for saving human life has been awarded to John F. Hagen. The 
face of the medal represents the Schuylkill River, with the Callow- 
hill Street bridge in the distance. The water is covered with a 
sheet of ice, which has broken, and eight boys are seen in the 
water struggling to the edges. Hagen is seen jumping into the 
opening, and one small boy is noticed sinking. On the reverse of 
the medal is the inscription : " Presented to John F. Hagen in 
recognition of his self-sacrificing bravery, in preventing eight boys 
from being drowned in the River Schuylkill, Philadelphia, Feb- 
ruary 3d, 1884." 

LIVES PREVIOUSLY SAVED. 

When the medal was awarded for his bravery in rescuing eight 
boys from being drowned in the Schuylkill River, it probably was 
not known, that another medal, might also have been awarded, for 
the lives heretofore saved, by the recipient, upon this same river. 
From what we have lately gleaned, while hunting for the truth for 



i5 

this little sketch, we find that it would be impossible to get a cor- 
rect statement, of the number of lives saved by Hagen. His life 
has been so much spent upon the Schuylkill River, that he 
seems in a manner identified with' it. An elderly man, one 
Thomas Conner, a gardener by profession, living on Carlton 
Street near Twenty-fourth, whose life was saved by Hagen, 
tells that he has known him from a baby in his mother's arms. He 
says that he has always shown great presence of mind in moments 
of danger to others. Conner's story in relation to himself is, that 
one day seeing one of his little grandchildren on the ice, and fearing 
for it, he was crossing in the direction of the child when he fell 
through the ice, and not being able to swim would have drowned, 
had not Hagen, who had happened to see the accident, come to his 
rescue. The latter, simply took the coat from his back, and retaining 
one part of it in his hand, threw it so that Conner could clutch the 
other part, and then drew him up to the edge and thus saved 
him from drowning. Conner cited two or three other cases for 
which w r e have no room here, but we think he could talk of, and 
praise the savior of his life as long. as any one would sit and listen 
to him. We certainly found him to possess that one noble quality 
not always possessed, that of gratitude. We have since been told 
that two boys not long since were saved, from being drowned, also 
a man who, with the intention of committing suicide, had jumped 
into the river near the Market Street bridge was rescued by him. 



WHY NOT? 

It has been suggested by an old tax-payer of the Fifteenth 
Ward that a Swimming School be instituted near the spot where 
the accident took place, in order that boys who have a particular 
taste for swimming, and the water, may be educated in such a man- 
ner, as to fit them for the Life-Saving Service, and for Coast Guards 
The idea is respectfully offered to the attention of our newly- 
elected Mayor, William B. Smith, who, it is said, is a man ready 
to listen to new ideas. 

Hoping that this little book may please those who read it, I 
remain to you, the readers, yours respectfully, 

THE AUTHOR. 



i6 

We give here a letter received from the Principal of Glenwood 
Institute, which may be of interest to our readers. 

Glenwood Institute, Mat a wan, N. J., March 8, 1884. 

Mrs. Virginia Barnhurst : — 

It gives me great pleasure to say a few words concerning one whom 
you have seen fit to honor with special, but appropriate mention. He 
has been a member of my school for three weeks, and if all my pupils 
were as painstaking and devoted as he, my school would be a perfect 
Elysium, for a teacher. He is making rapid progress, and through his 
earnest efforts he will not be long in coming to the front. His habits 
are of the very best, and, as I wrote to Mr. Passmore, it would be diffi- 
cult to find, by searching from any number of young men, brought up as 
he has been, one who has more substantial qualities of mind and charac- 
ter than has John Hagen. The money contributed to the fund in his 
favor could not have fallen into more worthy hands, and I deem it a 
privilege to be allowed to testify concerning him, although the time of 
acquaintance has, it is true, been brief. The honors which, one may 
say, have been crowded upon him, have not produced, as would have 
been in most cases, an unfavorable reaction, but a characteristic modesty 
and an absence of desire to have self foremost seem to prevail. I have 
sent an account of his heroic act to the American Minister at Paris, in 
hopes that the Society at Paris, which, I am told, recognizes similar 
acts sometimes in a special way, may at least have the knowledge of the 
remarkable deed laid before them. Hoping that your effort in giving 
the account of this singularly heroic act to the world, and in embalming 
its memories, as it were, in a more substantial way than has yet appeared, 
may enkindle a desire in the hearts of many of the young, to manifest 
even in the common walks of life, heroic features of character. 

I am very truly yours, Charles Jacobus, Prin. 



CHARLES A. BIS SEX, 


CHSRLES REILH, 1 1 


Manufacturers and Dealers in 


■*4 Merchant Tailor,!^ 


Of every description. 


S. W. Cor, Columbia Ave. &. ijth Sts., 


N. W. Corner 21st and Vine Streets, 


Philadelphia. 


PHILADELPHIA. 




Edward A. Burns, 
jjlain ^ Bccuratiue iWr ftanger, 


FOY & BRO., 

Sanitary plumbing 

In all its Branches, 


7 T ™ 

Store, No. 1702 Callowhill Street, 


Gas Fitting, Steam Fitting, 
Drainage, &c. 


No connection with any other Store. 


922 FILBERT STREET, 


OIL CLOTH WINDOW SHADES. 


PHILADELPHIA. 


ENLISTMENT OF BOYS, 


MUSICAL INSTRUCTION. 


Wanted as apprentices for the U. S. Navy, 
•Between 14 & 18 years of age. 

Applicants presenting themselves for enlistment 
must be accompanied, if possible, by their parents or 
guardians*. Circulars relating to the enlistment of boys, 
and full particulars can be obtained by applying at the 

U. S. Naval Rendezvous, 


Violin, Cornet, Tiano, Flute, 
Guitar, Sin gin g t &*c. 

SIGNOR VALLO, 


208 SPRUCE STREET. 


TSo. 1205 ARCH STREET. 


EDWARD M* WILLARD, 


JOHN CURRAN, 

PLASTERING, CALCIMINING, 


dumber JWerchant, 


• ROUGH CASTING, CEMENTING, 

« 

AND 


2419 HAMILTON STREET. 


Jobbing Promptly Attended to. 




2410 Hamilton Street. 


GLEN WOOD INSTITUTE 


* 
RANKIN & WARREN, 


A Home School for 

both Sexes, 
CHARLES JACOBUS, A. M. 


House and Sign Painters, 

Grainers and Decorators, 


Principal, 


2423 CALLOWHILL STREET, 


MATAWAN, NEW JERSEY. 


Residence, 1619 Fairm.unt Ave. 

• 



GEORGE SMITH, 

BAKER, 

2411 Oqtllowhill St., 

PHILADELPHIA. 
Constantly on hand all varieties of 

BREADS AND FANCY CAKES. 

"~RLEX7 NEELY, 

Watchmaker &■ Jeweller, 

2413 Callowhill Street., 

PHILADELPHIA. 

! JAS. HART, 

TIIbT EOOFEE 

AND MANUFACTORER OF 



■ JENNIE EWING. 
Z)06 and &mh JdaMw§. 

Latest Styles and Reasonable Prices. 

Prompt attention paid to orders. 

No. 2406 Brandywine Street, 

PHILADELPHIA. 

FAIRMOUNT CLOTHING BAZAAR. 

PAGEL'S 

Cheap Clothes, Boots, Shoes, Caps, 
Trunks, Gum Clothing. 

Nos. 2429 & 2572 Callowhill Street, 
PHILADELPHIA. 

N. B. — Particular attention paid to customers work. 

Also compliments of Pagel & Bro. 44 and 46 

Main Street. Ivorristown. 



'iZJfGE®, 



Agents and Canvassers to sell the new book, 

A SKETCH OF 

CTOIEIlsr IF- ECA-O-ZEGST. 



HGSbtel'S & Ja8LLT££GS, | The Hero of the Schuylkill Tragedy. 



2410 Pennsylvania Ave., Philad'a. 

JOBBING ATTENDED TO. 

~PURE\ A. PEER, SR, 

Q:' 1 ' ->■ j ■ Cpluus Ultra 

h\xm & lair- jjipsmg m\m f 

231 1 CALLOWHILL ST.* 

Philadelphia. 

;Tames K. McAlees, 

:f xi cvr o a- ti -a. if xac e j=i , 
2120 OxllozohzU St., 

PHILADELPHIA. 

Competition in Crayon Portraits Defied. 

Photographing in all its branches executed in the 
most artistic manner. 

All work guaranteed to give satisfaction. 



Also, go ahead boys and girls to sell the same. Call 
from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., and from 7 to 9 p.m. 

At 2425 Callowhill Street. 

Thos. Penniston, 

Wholesale and Retail 

Candy and Lozenger Manufacturer. 
2403 Callowhill Street, Philadelphia. 

DRALEK IN 

ORANGES, NUTS, LEMONS, F I G S j &C. 
N. B.— Molasses Candy Fresh Every Day. 

Cough Drops. H ore-hound and Tar Drops 
a specially. 



1011 MARBLE STREET, 

Philadelphia. 



■SSSSU&sbS 



